The proposed research will deal with the taxonomy of an extensive collection of chiggers, with related host material, at the Bishop Museum. Distribution patterns of branched leg setae will be applied to the taxonomy of the Trombiculidae. Such patterns of leg setation have not been extensively investigated for this group. Based on the field notes accompanying the hosts and sites of attachment of the chiggers to the host an analysis of host specificity and parasitope specificity will be made. Distribution of vectors of chigger-borne rickettsiosis will be investigated, as many of the specimens in the collection were taken from localities not previously sampled.